Weather puts dampener on BDO

Baden Poa and Chantal Ngaau enjoyed a laid-back afternoon in the shade. 17041566

Saturday’s damp and unpredictable weather meant around 500 people fewer than last year attended this year’s Beach Day out on Saturday afternoon.

The event’s organiser, Lincoln Mail, said the small crowd meant he had ended up out of pocket and food sales had been poor, but he was prepared to take it on the chin.

“You’ve got to just roll with the punches. It was still a good day.”

When CI News called in for a couple of hours at about 4pm, there were only around 200 people at the venue and although more arrived later, it wasn’t enough to make the beachside concert a success.

Mail had a busy day, playing guitar in an impromptu but impressive band put together by local musician Rudy Aquino, as well as running around taking care of organisational details.

He said the night ended earlier than anticipated.

“But a couple of bands didn’t even turn up and we were really hurt by the weather. It was all finished by 9.15pm.”

Aquino said he had stepped in at the last minute after local musical legend Garth Young fell ill and was unable to make it to the concert. The band didn’t really have a name, he said, and had only fitted in a couple of rehearsals before playing in public for the first time.

Their powerful set of Afro-Cuban style songs included an original composition, so new that it didn’t have a name either, said Aquino.

The hugely experienced musician said he had been staggered at the sophistication of the BDO stage, which he described as the best set up he had seen in Rarotonga.

“I was really surprised at all the high quality equipment. Usually on the island it’s an assortment of home-made stuff but this was a proper stage setup, with quality gear you can’t usually find here.

“It was only the second time it had been used.”

On the back of their well received set at BDO, he said, he and his fellow band members might look at putting on a concert of their own one day.

Mail said in spite of the problems this year, Rarotonga definitely hadn’t seen the last of Beach Day Out.

“We’ll be back next year, and we will be keeping a close eye on the weather.”